The Iraqi Ministry of Interior has detained the director of Kirkuk’s Security and Personnel Department along with four other individuals on accusations of bribery and facilitating the movement of smuggled and prohibited goods through security checkpoints into the city.
The arrests were carried out on Sunday, May 10, after an investigation reportedly monitored the activities of the security director and several officers and personnel over an extended period.
According to multiple sources, the suspects allegedly operated a network at checkpoints that enabled smuggled shipments to pass between the Kurdistan Region and Kirkuk in exchange for payments, in violation of their official responsibilities. Authorities reportedly arrested them following months of surveillance and investigation.
Those detained include Kirkuk Security and Personnel Director Mohammed Attiya, another officer, and two checkpoint personnel stationed on the Kirkuk-Erbil route in Altun Kupri sub-district. One source stated that the suspects “admitted to the accusations,” adding that the arrests were made under direct orders from the Iraqi Interior Minister.
The Directorate of Security and Personnel Affairs operates directly under the authority of the Iraqi Ministry of Interior.
Iraq received a score of 28/100 in Transparency International’s 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, ranking 136th globally. Between 2003 and 2025, the country’s average score stood at 19.26 points. The highest score recorded during this period was 28 points in 2025, while the lowest was 13 points in 2008.
Sources also suggested that the case could involve a broader network, noting that investigations are still ongoing and authorities are searching for additional suspects connected to the operation.
According to the same source, the group allegedly coordinated with at least 15 truck drivers to allow shipments of smuggled goods — including chicken, food products, beverages, and other banned materials — to pass through checkpoints in return for bribes.
If convicted, the accused could face prosecution under Article 307 of the Iraqi Penal Code.
The law states that any public employee or official who requests or accepts a bribe, gift, or benefit in exchange for carrying out or neglecting an official duty may face imprisonment of up to 10 years, along with possible fines.
As of now, neither the Iraqi Ministry of Interior nor any other security authority has officially commented on the incident.
In 2025, Iraq’s Federal Commission of Integrity (FCOI) received approximately 14,500 new corruption reports, in addition to 22,500 unresolved cases carried over from previous periods, bringing the total number of cases to around 37,000. The commission processed nearly 32,000 of these cases, representing an achievement rate of about 85%.
